Franklin MWD-450 Merriam-Web Dictionary w/Calculator & Databank

by Franklin Electronics

Product Details

Product Manual [139kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 5 x 3 x 0.8 inches ; 4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00005MMCK
• Item model number: MWD-450
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #48 in Electronics > Office Electronics > Electronic Dictionaries, Thesauri & Translators > English Dictionaries
  • #83 in Electronics > Office Electronics > Electronic Dictionaries, Thesauri & Translators > Foreign Language Dictionaries
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 2, 2002

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Franklin's Pocket Dictionary is the perfect, easy-to-use tool whenever you're stumped by a word. You can instantly look up 80,000 words with 274,000 definitions. The four-line display lets you comfortably read word definitions without extra scrolling. The phonetic spell checker ensures the right word will be found even if you misspell it. There are also many useful word tools like a crossword puzzle solver and learning exercises.

The MW450 also has nine fun word games (including anagrams, Hangman, Jumble, and tic-tac-toe), a clock with world and local times, a calculator with metric and currency conversions, and a Rolodex Electronics databank for names and phone numbers.

Product Description

Over 100,000 definitions with large 5-line display, includes BOOKMAN card slot, Confusables, Classmates and Learnables features; SAT word list, 5 word games, calculator, and metric and currency converter.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Franklin MWD-450 and MWD-1440 electronic dictionaries, December 16, 2001

By 

Phillip M. Feldman (Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Franklin MWD-450 Merriam-Web Dictionary w/Calculator & Databank (Office Product)

Review of Franklin/Merriam-Webster's MWD-450 and MWD-1440 electronic dictionaries

1. Lookups are slow on the MWD-450 (4-8 seconds is typical); response times are much better on the MWD-1440.

2. Definitions are shorter and simpler (often over simplified) on the MWD-450. The MWD-450 is probably better for a younger child (under 12), while the MWD-1440 should be better for teenagers.

3. The MWD-450 is missing many literary words and also some words that are important for understanding current events (e.g., "anti-Semitism" and "globalism"). The MWD-1440's dictionary, which is somewhat larger, contains "anti-Semitism" but not "globalism".

4. Displays on the two models have the same physical size, but the MWD-1440 displays more lines (5 lines instead of 3) using smaller and somewhat harder-to-read text.

5. Related word forms are not always shown. Here are two examples:

(A) If one looks up the word "naive", the noun form is shown as "naiveness". "Naivete", which is preferrable to "naiveness", is not listed as an alternative noun form. (One can, however, look up "naivete" separately).

(B) The MWD-450 recognizes "auspices" as a plural noun, but does not recognize the singular form "auspice".

6. The MWD-1440 has a slightly better keyboard; keys are squishy and badly shaped on the MWD-450.

7. Given that the MWD-1440 is aimed at college students, the calculator mode should include a more complete set of calculator functions. In particular, x^y (exponentiation), base-10 and base-e logarithms, and the sine and cosine functions should be provided.

8. On both models, the calculator mode would be easier to use if there were parentheses.

9. "Connect 4", which was one of the more interesting games on the MWD-400, is not available on the newer MWD-450 and MWD-1440.

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not worth the money!, October 3, 2001

By 

Mark Kosobiecki (Connecticut) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Franklin MWD-450 Merriam-Web Dictionary w/Calculator & Databank (Office Product)

I decided to try one of these little handheld dictionaries to help me at home and work when I got stuck on a word or, had a question about the meaning. At first I was some what pleased with the unit except for the slowness of it. Half the words would have been looked up quicker in a regular dictionary! Then, I started to become annoyed with the briefness of the definitions. A lot of the definitions are only a word or two and, leave you still wondering what the word means. My third and, final strike against it was the insufficent number of words it contains. It claims to have 80,000 words and, that may seem like a lot but, when the word you're looking up isn't listed, it's really not. Did I mention it was slow too? It's bad enough when you enter a word it knows but, if it's unsure of the word, it takes literally forever before it comes up with a list of possible words!
It shocks me that Merriam Webster would put there name on something like this! If this unit was in the ten to fifteen dollar range, I would be able to overlook some of its flaws but, they average going price is around thirty dollars and for what you get, it's just not worth it. Merriam Webster ought to take their name off this and, Franklin ought to go back to making sporting goods!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars its ok, October 13, 2004

By 

eric (CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Franklin MWD-450 Merriam-Web Dictionary w/Calculator & Databank (Office Product)

I have had the franklin dictionary for 3 years and its still running. it has been running on the same battery. The only thing that i hate about it is that its slow when it searches for the word. The good things are that u can put in personal information and it can spell check your search.It gives you short and understanble definitions for your search. Also the calculator it has, is easy to use.